Predict the major organic products of the reactions. If no reaction, write NR and explain why no reaction occurs. Compare the two reactions and identify which will occur faster.
a.
b.

Question

Predict the major organic products of the reactions. If no reaction, write NR and explain why no reaction occurs. Compare the two reactions and identify which will occur faster.
a. 
  b.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is a. Bromobenzene will not react with NaOEt. Recall that vinyl halides are unreactive in either S_N1 or S_N2 reactions. Aryl halides can undergo nucleophilic aromatic substitution, but the benzene ring often requires an electron withdrawing group in the ortho or para position to drive the reaction.
b. The starting material is benzyl bromide, so it will readily undergo S_N2 substitution with ethoxide to form an ether.

a. Bromobenzene will not react with NaOEt. Recall that vinyl halides are unreactive in either S<sub>N</sub>1 or S<sub>N</sub>2 reactions. Aryl halides can undergo nucleophilic aromatic substitution, but the benzene ring often requires an electron withdrawing group in the ortho or para position to drive the reaction. b. The starting material is benzyl bromide, so it will readily undergo S<sub>N</sub>2 substitution with ethoxide to form an ether. Since the benzyl halide is more reactive than the aryl halide, reaction b is faster.

Since the benzyl halide is more reactive than the aryl halide, reaction b is faster.

Predict the Major Organic Products of the Reactions